A loud wish
by KillianJones
Summary: I am not the greatest at writing summaries. Just give it a shot.
1. A deal

She sits on the highest of three rocks, towering above the water surface, looking out on the ship. It's rocking back and forth, and music plays. She sees the lights flicker on the sea water. Oh what she'd give to see them dancing. But humans were dangerous, or so she was told. Not so long ago, she found it was mermaids who were dangerous, especially her kind. Her kind would sing, and lure men in a trap. Taking their lives with a single kiss. It was her sister who showed her how it was done. She'd swam away as her sister sent the lifeless body back to the surface. Now she's sitting on the rock where her sister had sat before, luring one of the men on that ship in a trap. But her intentions were different, she merely wanted to dance with them, learn how humans lived and such.

"Such loud wishes, dearie." A playful voice sounds behind her, she turns around to see a man sitting on a rock lower.

"How did you get here?" She asks, curiosity colouring her gentle voice. "Are you one of the men from the ship?" She leans on her hands leaning closer, squinting to see the man better. In the fade moonlight she sees his skin glistering, not like water has touched it, but more like it's his actual skin that glimmers.

"I am not." He speaks posh, but with an inhuman twist to it. "You have a wish, don't you Ariel?" She nods, carefully. "Something like this?" The man snaps his fingers, and her tail changes in two beautiful human legs, the moment she reaches out for them, smilingly, they change back to her green tail. Confused she looks back at the man. "That's what you want, isn't it?" Ariel nods more confident, her hair falling in her face. She strokes it behind her ear.

"Please." She pleads. The man crosses his legs, giving him a nonchalant look.

"I think we can make a deal."

"A deal?" Ariel questions, she has no memory of ever having to make a deal. Everything was always done for her without giving something in return.

"A deal." The man nods.

"Hold up, I don't even know you." She says, and draws herself back a little upon realising how close she's sitting to him, hooked to the idea of making a deal with him, trading her tail for her legs in exchange of something of hers.

"Ah." The man gets on his feet, bowing down a slight bit. "Rumpelstiltskin." He introduces, smiling, as if proud of his name. Ariel hesitates.

"What would I give you in exchange for legs?" Rumpelstiltskin sits back down.

"A kiss, perhaps?" He suggests. The thought of having to kiss the glistering man's lips repels her, and not even the slightest bit. But for legs, she might.

"Wouldn't a kiss kill you?" Ariel questions, still pondering over kissing the man. Rumpelstiltskin laughs.

"Someone hasn't been told how a siren kiss works, or so it seems." He decides, sitting more comfortably again to explain. "It only works when you want it to, dearie. If you fall in love, wouldn't you want to kiss him without him dying?" Ariel nods. "Exactly. I fear I cannot explain to you how it all works, though." He continues, "But you will know when the time is right. And aside from that, there is a lot more necessary to kill me than just a mermaid kiss." Rumpelstiltskin smirks. "But perhaps your hair would be more use to me than your kiss."

"My hair?" Ariel gasps, reaching behind her to touch her hair. "All of it?" Rumpelstiltskin laughs like a little kid.

"No, crazy. Not all of it. Perhaps like this..." He mutters, softly, the last part being said as if it were meant only for him. He reaches out for her hair and holds it in the middle. If he'd cut it there it would reach until the middle of her spine. No mermaid has ever had her hair this short.

"Okay." Ariel answers, deciding that she'd rather give him her hair than a kiss. Rumpelstiltskin takes out scissors out of nowhere and holds it where he wants to cut it through. "Wait. How do I know you won't break the deal?" He looks up in her eyes, she can tell that her words have hurt him.

"I've only broke one deal in my life and of that I still bear the scar, so I will never again." He assures her. "Your hair for legs, deal?"

"Deal." She replies.

"Deal." He laughs like an excited kid at the word and cuts her hair, whereupon pushing her in the sea. The collision of her body with the surface is painful. Her entire body aches, as if it's making changes that it shouldn't make. She tries to get to the surface, but it's like the sea tries to swallow her, pulling her deeper and deeper, and this until the last thing she feels is water entering her body and the pain knocking her out.

* * *

"We found a girl!" One of the sailors runs into his cabin. He turns around to find it's Jack.

"Where are your manners, sailor, knock, wait for an answer, then come in, if I allow you." Killian grunts, holding the bag of ice to his head. He feels as if he's been knocked against the head, even though it's just the alcohol elaborating. Jack leaves the room, closing the door behind him. A small moment later follows the sound of someone knocking the door. "You have got to be kidding me." He sighs, leaving the bag of ice on the desk, opening the door. "What's wrong with this girl?" Killian questions.

"Fear she's dead, Cap." He answers. Killian shrugs.

"Too bad, then." He says, and makes movements to open the door, but the sailor stops him.

"She's also naked."

"Right then, where is this girl?" Jack hides a small smirk and guides his Captain off the ship onto the shore. When he looks on the shore, seeing his men standing in a small circle around a body, he feels like the need to ask where she is, is unnecessary. He steps on the sand. He always hated it how it felt like the sand would like to swallow you, taking you into the earth. Dying by drowning felt like a better way to go.

"Move." He demands, his men make place almost immediately. A pale girl with red hair lays on the sand, she has dried salt on her back, making it obvious that if she's dead, she drowned in the sea. He kneels down, using his hook to move her hair from her face. Her lips are nearly blood red, in contrast with her white face. Thick dark lashes, not red, like her hair. Killian takes his jacket off and lays it over her to turn her around. He takes his hand, searching for a pulse in her neck. "She's not dead, far from, even." He answers, feeling her pulse against his fingers.

"Then why won't she wake up?" Someone asks. Killian shrugs, moving his hand over her face, brushing the sand off the cheek she laid on the beach with. At the touch of his hand with her cheek she opens her eyes suddenly. Sea green eyes, hauntingly beautiful, are staring in his. He quickly looks away from her.

"Told you she wasn't dead." He says, getting up on his feet again. "Miss, you're completely naked." He informs her. She looks down, finding the jacket over her, whereupon she frowns. "Go back to the ship." Killian tells his men. "Now." He demands when they don't react fast enough. They make way back to the ship as instructed.

"Is that your ship?" She asks, sitting up straight, holding the jacket in front of her, looking completely next to him, to his ship.

"It is." He answers, wanting her to talk again with her gentle voice, filled with curiosity.

"Can I see it?" She looks up at him, squinting as she finds the sun behind him.

"Could you perhaps firstly explain to me why you are lying naked on a beach?" She looks away from him to look at her legs, she lets go of the jacket to reach out for her legs, she looks at them as if she's never seen them before.

"I have legs!" She exclaims, and stands up, awkwardly holding the jacket in front of her while trying to look down on her legs. They shake a little.

"Well it's common for a human to have legs." Killian replies, finding the redhead quite strange.

"I've never had legs." The girl says, "I've had a tail." Killian reaches out for her forehead. "What are you doing?" She questions.

"I thought you had a fever, perhaps you're just mad." She pushes his hand away.

"I'm not mad!" The girl yells, giving him a hurt look.

"Says the naked girl who claims she had a tail before she had her legs." Killian smirks. The girl frowns, restraining herself from reaching out and slapping his mocking face. She takes a deep breath, instead.

"I had a tail, I was a mermaid, and Rumpelstiltskin gave me legs." Killian takes a step forward at the sound of his name, standing closer towards her. She even smells like the sea, but the most pleasant smell of the sea. That smell that invites you to jump in the water and take a swim.

"Rumpelstiltskin, huh?" He asks, "Where did he go?" The girl frowns, as if trying to remember, then she carefully shakes her head.

"I don't remember." She answers softly. "He punched me in the sea after he took my hair. He could've drowned me." She notes as she speaks.

"Took your hair? Why?" The girl shakes her head again.

"I didn't ask, I just wanted legs, I wanted to be able to dance, you see." As she speaks she gives him a sweet smile.

"Dance, sweetheart, you can't even stand on your legs properly." Killian laughs. For no reason at all, her sweetness just makes him want to laugh at her even more. But he also notes, that this strange girl with her wide green eyes and sweet smile, is slowly creeping up at him. A feeling he dislikes. But maybe he needs the strange girl to find Rumpelstiltskin.

"I'll learn it." She assures him, to what he nods.

"What's your name?"

"Ariel." The redhead answers.

"Well then Ariel. I'm Killian and I'll make you a deal, I'll teach you to dance, if you help me find Rumpelstiltskin."

"Okay." Ariel smiles. Killian offers his hand, which she takes - still holding up the jacket in front of her with her other arm - and they shake their hands once. He takes off his white shirt and hands it to her, she accepts it, waits for him to turn around. He feels her soft hand on his bare shoulder. "I'm done." He turns around to see her in his white shirt. It had been too big for him, and it was certainly too big for her. She hands him back the jacket. "Can I see your ship now?" She asks. Killian nods, taking a step forward, as she tries to follow him she falls forward. He catches her before she falls.

"Shall I teach you how to walk first?" She smiles guilty and nods. He takes her arm, laying it around his waist. "Just eh..." He falls silent, realising how uneasy it is to explain how you walk. "Do what I do?" He suggests. Ariel laughs softly, a sound he's already came to love.

"All right." She replies, following his step. By the time they reach the small boat that is supposed to bring them to the ship, she manages to walk without tripping. Jack nods at Ariel and she smiles at him, getting help from Killian to get in the boat.

"I'll go first." Killian speaks up once arrived at the ship. "Jack you follow me."

"What about me?" Ariel asks.

"I'm not sure if you noticed, miss, but under that shirt you're still naked." Killian tries to keep the smirk off his face, that will eventually come anyway. He climbs up a little already.

"But I don't know how to climb." She points out, giving Killian a small reminder that she's only gotten her legs just now.

"I can take her on my back, Cap." Jack says. Killian nods, without looking back down at them. Once on deck, his men look at him.

"If any of you peasants touch her in a way she doesn't like it I'll throw you over board, got that?" He can see them nod right before he turns to go to his cabin. A little later someone knocks his door. "In." He answers, whilst looking through his wardrobe. He looks up as the door closes with a soft thumb. Ariel looks around, eventually resting her eyes on Killian. Her lips turn into a sweet smile.

"Nice men you got there." She speaks, breaking the silence.

"That's because I scared them." He answers, taking out another white shirt of his to put on. "I don't have any female clothes, Ariel, I'm sorry." Ariel shakes her head, walking towards him.

"That's okay, just give me trousers or something." Killian smiles a little at himself, wondering why anyone would stuff such beautiful legs in trousers. When he turns around to hand her his smallest trousers, there was no sign on his face that he ever smiled.

"There is underwear in that drawer, just see what fits you." He says. "And Ariel?" She looks up, looking straight into his eyes. He wishes she'd stop doing that. "You can't tell anyone you were a mermaid. Can you promise me that?" She smiles.

"Yes, Captain." He forces on a smile that leaves his face directly as he turns around to leave the room.


	2. Pirate business

"So, where's she sleeping?" Jack questions as Killian walks out of his room. He takes Jack's arm with his hook, pulling him with him.

"I believe we still have a spare room?" Killian replies, letting Jack go once he realises he's following.

"Milah's?"

"So be it." He opens the door to the room, trying to not show how overwhelmed he is by the memories attached to this room. He opens the curtains letting the setting sunlight shine through the windows. Specks of dust fly around in the room. "Close the door, will you?" Killian demands, opening the wardrobe, letting his hand stroke over the fabric of the dresses.

"She's younger and smaller than Milah was, I doubt she'll fit in those." Jack notes.

"I know." Killian answers. He shakes his head, lets go of the dresses and takes out clean sheets for the bed. "I'll send a few men out to get dresses for her and such, first thing tomorrow." He turns to lay the sheets on the bed. "She's a mermaid, Jack." He mutters. Jack frowns, leaving it silent for a moment.

"What?"

"A mermaid." Jack shakes his head.

"No I heard you, but what?" Killian sits down on the bed.

"She says Rumpelstiltskin gave her legs in exchange for her hair. I intend on keeping her, that Crocodile might come back for her, and then I can get him." Jack nods.

"But I don't think she was a mermaid, Cap'. Only Sirens in these waters." Killian shakes his head.

"No, no. She told me she was a mermaid."

"Sirens lie."

"Perhaps I should ask her?"

"Perhaps... But not directly, I suppose she needs a rest." Jack opens the door.

"Jack." Killian stops him. "You can't tell anyone, okay?" Jack nods before leaving the room. Killian looks around in the room, he'd get it cleaned up tomorrow. Today he just felt like getting to know the small redhead girl. He walks out of the room, closes the door behind him and walks back to the deck. Ariel sits down in the middle, the men around her. Already she's asking them questions. He leans against the wall, staying out of sight. Ariel looks around, facing all of them, listening as they answer her questions. Seamen tales and such. She looks his way, her lips twist into an even more radiant smile. He gives her a small smile before turning away to his room. In his room he turns over his maps.

* * *

Two soft knocks on his door make him look up.

"Come in." He answers. When Ariel comes in with two plates with food he looks out of the window, realising it has become dark already.

"Hungry?" She questions with a smile. He nods, shoving the maps aside, making place for her to put the plates down. "I asked if I had to come and get you, but they said you never eat dinner with them. But you should never have to be alone to eat dinner."

"No?" He questions, taking the fork while following her with his eyes as she sits down next to him.

"No," She smiles, "Enjoy your meal." He shakes his head and starts to eat. She studies him in his use of the fork. From his use of the fork to his hand and wrist, seeing a heart-shaped tattoo with the name Milah in it. She looks away from the tattoo to his face, seeing he has a scar on his cheek. "So what are you doing?" Ariel questions after a short moment of silence, looking away from him and strokes her thin fingers over the lines on the maps.

"Finding a course for us to take next." He answers. "If you think you should never eat alone, I suppose you come from a big family?" She nods, taking her hand away from the map.

"I am the youngest of seven. I have six older sisters." She smiles, "It drives my dad crazy sometimes though." Killian smiles.

"And your mother?" He questions, taking another bite. Ariel shakes her head.

"My mother died when I was younger." He swallows through the bite and stares at her blankly as she starts eating too.

"I'm sorry." He mutters. "So your sisters..." Killian starts, "What are their names?" Ariel takes a breath before speaking up.

"Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Attina, Adella, and Alana." She says in one breath. Killian nods.

"Don't you suppose they'll miss you?" Ariel shakes her head.

"I'm not like them." She replies, shoving her finished plate a bit further.

"As you have a wish to be human?"

"Not just that." She's careful with her choice of words as she continues to talk. "They have interest in things I do not. They keep talking about boys, and all I want to do is explore. They probably think I'm weird. I doubt they even like me as their sister." Ariel states. Killian looks in her eyes. They're enlightened with the candlelight on the desk. Sparkling, enchanting.

"I wouldn't like for you to be my sister either, but that being for another reason." She laughs to what he smirks, shaking his head towards himself and looking away again. Already, the little mermaid has made him interested in her, and not only for her to get him to Rumpelstiltskin, but for how she would react to anything he said, and just her in general. How would a mermaid think human life is so much better than mermaid life, and choose legs instead of a tail.

"Captain have you recently lost one of your men?" Her soft words take him out of his stream of thoughts. Killian clears his throat.

"Yes, and a good friend of mine too." He answers.

"What was his name?"

"Why do you care?" She shakes her head and shrugs. "William Smee." Ariel nods and another silence falls.

"May I go to bed?" She questions carefully as he's done eating.

"Shall I direct you to your room?" Killian gets up from his chair, she looks up at him as he looks down on her.

"I have a room?" Ariel smiles and gets up too, following him when he nods. He takes a candle and lights it with a match. As she walks right behind him he can hear her breathe in and out softly, just as if she's not used to her lungs yet. The sound of her breathing calms him down, it would be a sound to what he could fall asleep to, along with the waves of the sea. He stops in front of the door of her room and hesitates.

"It is not very neat but we'll get it cleaned up tomorrow." He opens the door and lets her in. He hands her the candle so she can look around. He looks at her in the darkness, seeing her silhouette. Her small petite silhouette. She turns back around and in the fade light of the small flame he can see her smile.

"I love it, Captain, thank you."

"Ariel, please. You're not one of my men, please just call me Killian, can you do that?" He questions, grateful that it's dark in the room so she can't see his face. Ariel nods.

"Yes." She answers. "... Killian."

"Good night." He says before leaving the room, as he walks away it hits him how much he had liked how her voice mused his name, how she was able to pronounce his name and made it sound innocent.

* * *

They're having breakfast when Ariel walks in, they all look up and greet her. Though there are many places left, she takes the seat next to Killian. He frowns at his plate, not understanding. There are many more gentle-looking men next to whom she could sit, but she picked him. He refuses for it to cross his mind that she might actually feel safe around him. As he looks at her from the corners of his eyes he sees she's looking at him too.

"Good morning." She chants. A smile that he wishes he could hide shows on his face. He forces his lips shut and reaches over the table to grab the basket with sandwiches.

"Good morning, did you sleep well?" He questions as he offers her the basket, she nods and hesitates. "You've got to eat sweetheart, or else you won't make it through the day." Ariel nods once again and takes one out of the basket.

"So how do I eat this?" She questions. Killian smirks, all these questions of how to walk, how to dance and how to eat a sandwich are so strange. They're just things you had to learn along the way of growing up and you've never really given thought to how you do it.

"You cut it in half, horizontally and then you put some spreads on it. Do you prefer sweets or salty?" Ariel shrugs, biting her lip.

"I don't know." She mutters.

"Just give her something sweet, she has spent her entire life in something salty." Jack smirks next to Ariel, Killian casts him a dirty look. "Sorry." He laughs as he hands Ariel a small pot that reads marmalade. "You'll like that." Jack tells her, Ariel looks around to look how other's work with the knife. Two scarred hands handle the knife quickly, too quick for her to follow. Jack impatiently takes the knife from her and shows her. "Is she coming with us?" He asks while helping Ariel. Killian shrugs, feeling slight envy that he can't help her like that.

"Suppose so." Killian answers, "Ariel, will you be coming with them on land?" She looks away from Jack's hands and looks into Killian's blue eyes.

"Won't you be coming with us?" She questions.

"I will be going on land but not with them, I have other things to do. But Jack will be going with you and the others." Ariel looks from Killian to Jack, whose brown eyes stay focussed on her and she nods. He casts her a smile.

"Don't worry mermaid, you're going to be just fine."

* * *

Ariel looks down on the boots she's wearing, they're the smallest man on the ship's boots and they're probably still two sizes too big. As she takes steps they feel like falling off. She laughs at herself as she shakes her feet with every step she takes to the deck just to make sure they won't fall off. As she looks up she sees Killian smirking at her and looking away quickly once he notices her stare.

"All right, plans for today..." He starts, once they're all on the shore. "Nothing really, you just make sure the lady has some dresses, a sleeping gown and decent shoes at the end of the day."

"Where do we go when we're done?" One of the men questions.

"Find a place where they dance so she can learn it." They nod and pull her with them. She looks back once again to see Killian leave in another direction.

"What's he going to do?" She questions no one in particular.

"Pirate business, nothing important." A voice sounds, she looks at him. The voice comes from the man whose knife using she copied earlier today.

"What's your name?" She asks, trying to keep up with the steady pace the men are going.

"Thomas." He answers briefly. Ariel nods, trying to take him in, making up what makes him different from the others. At breakfast she saw his hands were covered in scars. And apart from that, he seems to be the only other guy around with blue eyes, aside from Killian. All the others have brown or hazel eyes.

"Who's Milah?" She asks bluntly. Thomas smirks.

"You have a lot of questions don't you? Milah and Hook used to be lovers, she was killed by Rumpelstiltskin..."

"Rumpelstiltskin!" Ariel exclaims, "That -"

"Ariel." Jack interrupts her from speaking out. She looks up, remembering Killian to have asked her not to talk about her mermaid past. She nods.

"Doesn't ring a bell." She lies. Thomas laughs.

"Really Ariel, as a pirate you're gonna have to be a better liar." He bumps her upper arm softly. She smiles guilty.

"Can I ask one more question? How did William die?" Jack shakes his head at her first permission asking and then not waiting for the permission to be given.

"Killed by a Siren." Thomas answers.

"Are you familiar with Sirens?" Jack fills in. Ariel shakes her head.

"Just mermaids, Jack." She replies.

"They're not that different. You see Sirens come in different shapes, some mermaids. They're mostly very beautiful, but they can change their appearance. Some by touching the men they want to kill, some don't need to touch. So they sing, their song is hauntingly beautiful, lure men in a trap and they can kill with a simple kiss."

"Jack if you keep telling her stories like that, she won't be able to sleep." Thomas teases.

"I'm sure she'll be able to sleep." Jack replies.

"Why do they kill?" She questions, Jack looks into her eyes.

"You tell me, Ariel." He says before walking more up front in the group.

"A charmer he is." Ariel mutters.

"He usually is, don't think he slept that well last night." Thomas fills in. After a few minutes of walking in silence they walk through a small alley that leads into an open place with many small booths, each one coming with voices that yell for costumers to buy their products.

"I suggest we split up?" Jack's voice sounds over the yelling of the salesmen. "A group that goes for food and a group that gets Ariel some clothes." And as if everyone knows their place, she's being pulled along with a small group of the pirates including Jack, Thomas, the guy whose boots she's wearing and two other men. "All right, when you see something you like you tell us okay?" She nods, looking around. Many stalls grab her attention and at the end of the day she is with three dresses, a few pants and shirts, and two pairs of shoes.

After shopping, the group makes way to a tavern where the music that plays can be heard from outside. When they walk in it seems the tavern looks smaller on the outside. Inside it's cosy, lighted up with torches. Men's laughter of whom have drunk a little too much already can be heard through the music. In the back is an entire open space where couples are dancing. They take a table in the corner and sit down.

"So when can we dance?" Ariel asks, looking around the table.

"Woman, how are you not tired from walking around all day?" Thomas sighs next to her, laying his head on the table.

"Poor you." She laughs and pats his back. "Anyone else?"

"Ask Hook when he arrives, he said he wanted to dance with you." Jack tells her, while sitting down in front of them. "Take a drink first." And as he says so a waitress comes up with a plateau filled with big mugs with beer. Jack shoves a mug towards her and grins. "You have to drink it all in once."

"All of it?" She looks at the mug, taking it in her hands.

"It'll just make you one of us." Jack assures her. She shrugs and does as told. The first moment the beverage tastes okay, but that is merely until the taste of it reaches her papillae, yet she empties the mug in only a small moment. Squeezing her eyes shut as she finishes it, the last of the mug was the worst. Laughter comes from their table and she feels Thomas' hand rubbing on her back.

"That wasn't too bad was it? Another one?" She manages shakes her head, more laughter. Thomas takes his hand away quickly and drinks from his own beer. A hand pats her shoulder. Killian stands in front her, extending his hand. She looks into his blue eyes, he smiles, patiently waiting for her to take his hand.

"What?" She questions.

"Will you dance with me Ariel?" He asks. As finally she takes his hand, he yanks her lightweight on her feet and guides her to the back, where they wait until the song is finished. As it does he lays his hand on her waist. "Ready?" He smirks, his teasing smile makes her laugh.

"No, not at all." Ariel chuckles, to what his smile grows even wider.

"Well then let's go." He says, and the music starts playing. He pulls her with him and he dances and jumps around the dance floor. She laughs as she clings around his neck, trying to follow his quick movements. "Come on, Ariel." He laughs at her poor attempt to catch up.

"I've had beer." She announces as she finally stops trying to dance and just lets herself flow. Killian smirks.

"Really, and how was it?"

"Okay, but I don't think it's supposed to be drank all at once." He laughs and shakes his head.

"No, not really. Did they make you do it?" She nods. He stops dancing as the song ends, bowing down to Ariel like all the other men who were dancing. "Thank you for the dance."

"And you." She smiles as he stands back up. He lays his hand on her back as he walks with her back to the table. She sits back down where she sat before, Killian next to her.

* * *

It's almost midnight when she feels hands on her shoulder, as she turns around she sees it's another man asking for her to dance. At the same moment she's about to stand up, Killian turns around too. The man lets go of her, apologising almost immediately.

"Yeah, I think it's time to go back." Thomas says, pulling Ariel with him, following the men outside.

"What, why?" She tries to get out of his grip without much success. When she looks back she sees the man crawling out of the tavern, Killian's sword pointing at him, mumbling words she can't hear. "Killian stop!" She yells but Killian doesn't bother to look away from the man. Ariel faces Thomas, taking his face in her cold hands, making him face her, her eyes wide in panic. "Thomas let go of me, he's gonna kill him."

"Exactly, you don't need to see this." Killian points his sword towards the man's throat right as Ariel manages to get out of Thomas' grip. She runs towards Killian, laying her hands on his.

"Captain." She demands his attention. His fierce look tears apart from the man to look at Ariel. "Captain stop, he fears you all right, let him go, please." She pleads. Heshakes his head and pushes Ariel aside a little.

"Better thank the lady for your life for I wouldn't have spared it." The man takes Ariel's hand and kisses it repeatedly.

"Thank you. Thank you." His words are shaky, just as his hands. She manages to pull back and wipes her hand on her pants.

"Now go." Killian demands, his voice harsh and unlike the way he talks to Ariel. He looks down on her but she doesn't look back at him, instead she follows the group whom are already heading back to the ship. He stops her by laying his hand on her shoulder. "Are you mad at me, mermaid?" She turns around abruptly.

"I'm not your property okay. He just wanted to dance for God's sake. What are you trying to prove?" She shakes her head as he doesn't reply. "Let's go home." She whispers, following the group again.


	3. A siren

At breakfast the place next to her is empty. She'd gone to bed last night without saying anything at all. Now she regrets it. She doesn't want to anger him firstly because it's his ship, and secondly because she just doesn't want to anger him at all. After she stopped talking last night no one else talked anymore either. The silence of all the other men becomes unbearable. As she looks around everyone is just minding their own business. She sighs, putting down her piece of bread.

"Does he usually just kill around?" She questions no one in general, breaking the silence. They look up, all to her.

"We're pirates, Ariel. that's what we do." Thomas replies. And then other conversations around the table start up too. It crosses her mind that no one really talks to her as long as she doesn't start talking to them first. She shakes her head.

"That's probably just an understatement. Pirates aren't supposed to pay for things either, but you did yesterday."

"For most of it." Thomas admits with a small grin. She gives him a disapproving look to what he just shrugs.

"But does he?"

"He may have killed a man or two... three," Jack acknowledges. "He's not taken aback of it, let's say that. Especially if you touch his precious things."

"Then what was that last night?" Thomas smirks.

"Congratulations Ariel, so early on the encounter and you've already got to see his vulnerable side." The conversations she may or may not have started when she started speaking up first end abruptly when Killian walks in, taking place next to her.

"Good morning." She whispers, he doesn't look up, just nods and starts eating. "All right, are you going to be like this the entire day or?" What had been silent falls more silent, she can even feel the tension, as if she said something that could cost anyone else's head of they said that. He looks at her, sighs and looks away again, the moment he does everyone else looks away too. "Do you want me to apologise or something?" She whispers, Killian shakes his head to what she smiles. "Good, because I wasn't going to." She says and gets up. "I'll be in my room."

* * *

At the end of the breakfast he sits alone with Jack at the table. He hasn't spoken a word since Ariel left the table, neither did anyone else.

"Must I apologise to her?" He questions.

Jack shrugs, "If you want to show her how vulnerable you are once again, then yes."

"Once again?"

"Last night you pretty much showed how precious she was to you by nearly killing a man who just wanted to dance with her."

"Are you mocking me sailor?" Jack laughs softly.

"Yes, Captain. Yes, I am." Killian shakes his head carefully, not bringing too much movement to his head. "How did she get to you so quickly?"

"She's gonna..."

"Help you find Rumpelstiltskin, yes, I know. Anyone can help you find him so if anything happens to her it shouldn't bother you too much."

"But it does."

"Exactly, and why is that?" Killian shrugs, looking up as he hears a soft melodic singing. The beautiful sound takes his headache away, making him yearn to come closer, in order to feel no pain anymore at all. Jack snaps his fingers in front of his face. "That's her." He hisses, "She's singing." Killian gets up.

"I'll go to her." The singing when he walks towards the room, however, doesn't seem to get louder. It appears as if the song can be heard from all over the ship at the same sound level. He opens the door and sees Ariel dancing around the room in a long dress, the bottom blue, a corset like part in black and the sleeves white. He finds a smile on his face, realising how pretty the girl is. She's singing a slow version of the song they danced to last night. He closes the door behind him, she doesn't even notice she's not alone. She has her eyes closed as she dances, almost floats through the room. He steps towards her, pressing his chest against her back, taking her hand in his and she stops humming to look who's standing behind her. Ariel's eyes getting darker, as if they're turning black, yet she smiles at him sweetly as if she didn't get mad this morning and starts murmuring as he moves his arm so that she can twirl underneath.

"Ariel?" He speaks up as he guides her. She nods, her soft murmuring slowly becomes singing again. "You're not just a mermaid, are you?" She smiles.

"What do you mean, Killian?" She chants.

"I have reasons to believe you are a siren." He answers, letting her twirl again. Hey eyes turn into the green eyes they were before as she stops singing, letting the silence fall before she speaks up again.

"Does my song haunt you, Captain?" They're dancing to complete silence.

"At all." He lies, the song does haunt him, the sound of it is so enchantingly beautiful. "It just occurred to me that mermaids don't sing or are stunningly beautiful." He continues to lie. Ariel's eyes look in to his as they dance for a little longer.

"If it comforts you, I don't know how to use the powers." He smiles carefully, because he knows he's using them right now. A siren who does not know she's using her powers is probably even more dangerous.

"I'm not scared of you Ariel." Killian tells her and stops dancing. "Thank you for the dance miss," He says gently, "But I have a course to set sail to, so I must go." taking her hand between his and kisses the back of it. "And eh..." He mutters, looking at her but not letting go of her hand. "I apologise for my behaviour last night, I don't want you to be angry with me." She smiles at him and squeezes his hand a little.

"I'm not angry, I just don't understand." Killian shakes his head.

"Neither do I." She smiles wider and he lets go of her hand. "See you later on, lass." She nods and watches him as he leaves the room and closes the door behind him. Jack leans against the bar on the other side of the promenade. "You were right." Killian tells him. "She's a siren."

"Then, shouldn't we tell the men?" Jack questions, Killian shakes his head. "For their own safety?" Killian guides him away from the room, thinking she might hear them.

"For their own safety, it's best they don't know. She doesn't even know she's using her powers. If they spill only the least bit that she is using them, she'll only learn it faster. And she may not want it now, but that's what sirens do, they kill, and then we're all doomed."

* * *

The sun had shined all day and as the sun begins to set Ariel walks out of her room, barefoot, feeling the heat of the wood under her. She finds Killian standing on the steering wheel, staring out of a long bronze tube-like item. She walks up to him, as she's on the staircase he puts the tube down and looks around, meeting her eyes. He smiles and invites her to come up further.

"What's that?" She points to the tube-like item. He hands it to her and leaves it for her to figure out. "I saw you looking through it, so I suppose..." she moves it to her eye, squeezing one eye shut to look through it. Endless blue is all she sees at first, until the turns herself, flinching as she sees an incredible close up of Killian's blue eyes. He chuckles as she hands it back to him. "So it makes things bigger?"

"Sort of," He answers, turning the wheel a bit. "It allows you to see further than your eyes can."

"Well if I stand really close to you I can see how incredibly blue your eyes are too..." He snorts, trying to hold back a laugh.

"But in order to do that, you would have to come closer. This thing is like coming closer, except you're not." She nods and sits down on a box next to the wheel, her feet unable to touch the ground, she wiggles them a little through the freedom of not having a tail. "So what do you do in your room all day?" He questions, looking at her as she twirls her hair around her finger whilst looking down on her feet.

"I found these bound papers, an entire shelf full of them. They all have stories inside of them." Killian smirks.

"You mean the books?"

"I suppose so, are they yours?" He shakes his head and takes a deep breath.

"No, Milah's. She would get tired of me and then lock herself in her room and just read these books." Ariel nods.

"Did they tell you already who Milah was or?" He questions as she doesn't ask.

"No I asked them." Killian frowns.

"How did you found out her name?" She leans over, stroking her cold fingers over his warm skin as she moves the cloth of his sleeve away, revealing the tattoo.

"I saw it at dinner the other night." He nods.

"I see." She pulls back her hand and looks around. At what seems to be the end of the sea, the sun almost seems to touch the water. She smiles looking straight into the fading orange sun as it goes down under more visibly. Until it disappears completely. She turns back around to face Killian who looks as if he hadn't looked away from her ever since she looked away. "Have you seen it before?" He questions, she nods.

"I used to come up to look at the sunset. I thought it was beautiful. I still do."

"Hey Ariel?" A voice with a hard 'r' calls for her. She leans a little forward on the box, looking down, her hair falls over her shoulders, tickling her back at it does. She smiles at a blond-haired man is looking up at her with two plates in his hands.

"Yes?"  
"Are you coming for dinner or are you having dinner with Hook?" The more he speaks the clearer it gets the man has an accent. She looks back at Killian who shrugs, but even she can read from his face that he wants her to stay. As she looks back down she sees the man is already on the stairs. "I figured the question was unnecessary right after I asked it." He smiles and puts down the plates on the boxes on the other side of the wheel.

"Thank you." The man nods and leaves back downstairs. Ariel gets off the box she's sitting on and walks over to the plates to look at it. "I have two questions actually. One, I don't think I've seen him before, who is that? And two what's this?" She points at the plate.

"Spaghetti and Mario." Killian's voice sounds right behind her, she looks over her shoulder just to see him shake his head. "Wrong order of answering your questions. The man is Mario, the dish is spaghetti." She smiles and takes a plate.

"How come I've never seen him before?" Ariel questions as she sits back on the box.

"He's our cook, he never joins us on trips on land. He gives the men a list of things they should bring and besides that he basically lives in the kitchen." By the end of the sentence Killian is laughing at Ariel's poor attempts to pick up the spaghetti with her fork. We walks over to her taking her hand in his, showing her how to twirl the fork around. She lifts her head to look at him as he shows her with deep concentration how to eat the spaghetti. His hand is rough, but warm and kind as they touch her fragile hands. She looks back down on their hands and he pulls away, leaving the fork with the spaghetti twirled around it. "Go ahead." He tells her and turns around to take his own plate. Ariel stuffs the spaghetti in her mouth, at first finding the texture of it sort of strange, but the taste is wonderful. She smiles as she finds Killian watching her as she chews, awaiting her reaction.

"What?" She questions when her mouth is empty. He shakes his head.

"Nothing, how do you like the food?"

"It's great, I love it."

* * *

It's long dark and silent as Killian looks away from the distance at last to look at Ariel. She'd just listened to the waves, the ship crushing through them softly, leaving a calm sound behind. She looks up from the stars as she sees him look at her.

"Shouldn't you go to bed, Ariel?" Killian questions as the sea is completely silent and the waves and her breathing are the only things he hears.

"What about you?" She asks, getting up from the box.

"No I'm staying up until the morning, then Jack takes over and I will go to bed. Just getting to land quicker." Ariel nods.

"That sound so lonely, can't I stay up with you?" Killian smiles.

"I don't think you can stay up that long."

"Try me." She smirks, sitting back on the box.

"Ah well, might as well use the opportunity to get to know you better, what did you do under the surface?" He asks, leaning against the box across from her, crossing his arms.

"Ran away from my responsibilities mostly." She answers, looking up at the sky, all clear, covered with thousands of stars.

"What kind of responsibilities could a mermaid... Siren possibly have." She smiles, facing him back again. "Please don't tell me I kidnapped a royal siren huh?" He jokes. Ariel smiles wider.

"Fine then I won't." Killian snorts.

"I was just kidding." He assures.

"I know, and I wasn't." He shakes his head.

"Will I be in trouble?" Killian teases, acting like the perfect gentleman who brought her home late by accident. She laughs and shakes her head.

"Nothing to worry about." He nods once.

"And what did you do while running away from your responsibilities?" He asks.

"I explored." She shrugs, "found out things my father wouldn't teach me, that kind of things."

"Like what?"

"Oh my Killian, so many questions." He smirks a little.

"Since you stopped asking questions, I suppose it's my turn." She looks in his eyes, lightened up by moonlight, yet darker as usual, they have something enchanting in them.

"I was very young when I first encountered a ship. It was the ship that took my mother away from me. On later age of course, it got me curious. I didn't dare to come too close in the beginning, but when I finally dared to get closer I saw the strangest men, I assumed they were pirates though they looked nothing like the pirates my mom would tell stories about. They-"

"Hold on," Killian interrupts her. "Your mom told stories about pirates?"

"Aside from singing her favourite thing to do was assume not all humans were bad, so when I had to go to bed, she would tell me human stories, that's what got me so curious in the first place." She replies.

"Tell me about those stories." He demands.

"Oh... I can't really remember. I do remember that in those stories, there were always good guys and bad guys. The good guys always won. And then there was this one guy and he was always really handsome and kind, and he always got the girl."

"Not very realistic thus?" She frowns, shaking her head, not understanding.

"What?" He smiles.

"He will not always get the girl."

"Why not?"

"That's just not how it works, either way the girl will run off with another guy, or she'll die." Ariel shakes her head again, realising what he means.

"So because it doesn't work for you, it's not realistic?" He turns toward the steering wheel again, turning it a slight bit. "Do you believe you are undeserving of love?" She questions and he remains silent, not looking at her. She sighs, deciding to change the subject. "Is it always so cold here?" He nods, following her in the subject change.

"Always, would you like a blanket?"

"That would be nice." He opens the box on his side and takes two blankets out of it, handing one of them to her. She wraps it around her, looking back around. Nor the sea, nor the ship had she seen so silent before. It's kind of tiring. "Can I lie down?" He nods,

"Sure." And she does, the wood of the box is cold through the cloth of her dress, she looks up at the night sky filled with stars.

"Can you tell me a seamen tale of yours?" He smiles, thinks over it and starts talking. His voice soft as he does, sometimes absent, sometimes very much present. She likes the sound of his voice.

She sits back up when he's done telling, shuddering. He takes the blanket that's wrapped around him and lays around her, touching her cheek by accident. The only feeling that feels somewhat real, soft though. She looks into his eyes and they're looking back. Kind and warm, he smiles down on her, making as if an army of butterflies has just awoken in her.

"How can you think you're undeserving of love, it's not fair." She whispers. He shakes his head.

"Everyone I love will be killed, tortured or whatnot. Rumpelstiltskin made very clear that I would never find happiness again." She nods, "I don't want to put you in such danger." He says as he takes a step back, she reaches out for him, pulling him closer again.

"Do, please do." She whispers, "I don't care." He smiles, moving his lips to his neck.

"Are you sure?" He whispers against her neck. His warm breath tickles her skin. She nods and he presses kisses against her neck, up to her earlobe. She smiles briefly, moving her hand over his shoulder to his neck, to the back of his neck, stroking her hand through his hair. He looks back for a small moment, her eyes staring directly into his. She parts her lips, in order to get more breath. He leans closer. "Ariel." He whispers, right before their lips are supposed to touch "Ariel wake up." He moves his hand to touch her cheek. The touch of it feels so real, so different compared to other touches, that her eyes open. It's still a dark, but the sun is about to set. Killian leans over her, smiling a little. "Let's go to bed." He helps her sit up straight.

"Yours?" She questions as she gets on her shaky legs, he lays his arm around her waist and laughs.

"How much I would like that, lass, but I'll bring you to your room." She moves her hand over his back, clinging to his shirt, heaping the cloth up in her hand, as they step off the stairs.

"How much of it was real?" She questions as they walk on the deck, last night the deck was warm, now it's ice cold, stinging as she walks over it.

"What do you mean?"

"I dreamt, but I don't remember falling asleep." She looks up and sees him smirk a little.

"So you dreamt of me?" She shrugs, not intending on replying to that. "You fell asleep not much later after you laid down."

"So you didn't tell me those stories?"

"No I did, but I didn't think you heard them." He says as he opens the door to her room. He takes off the blanket off her and then she notices there's another one around her, and none around him. Maybe he did lay his blanket around her and maybe he did touch her face briefly. She lays down and he tucks her in, stroking her hair from her face whilst he's at it. A touch so familiar, like the one in her dream. He smiles and leaves as her eyes fall shut again.

* * *

**AN;** Thank you so much for reading this, but I'd like to ask if you could review too, just leave me a small note of things I should improve, like grammar and such. Really, I don't want a two page essay, just I mean, one sentence would be great too, but I'd appreciate it loads, and it would help me even more.  
Thank you, again. Love.


	4. I'd miss you

She walks out of her room as she wakes up in the early afternoon. In the middle of the deck are a few tables set, each occupied by a few pirates. She sits down next to Thomas who looks up from the card game he's playing.

"Good afternoon, Ariel." Thomas smiles.

"Hey," she smiles back at him, "are you winning?"

"Yes miss I am." He smiles smugly. She looks at the cards, not quite understanding the purpose of the game.

"Ariel?" She hears the same voice as last night, the one with the hard "r", calling for her. She looks up finding Mario in a doorway.

"Would you like breakfast?" He questions. She nods, getting up from the bench.

"Good luck," she tells Thomas, patting his shoulder once. He nods and she leaves; following Mario.

"Did you sleep well?" He questions as they walks down a small staircase, ending up in a long hallway under the deck.

"I did, thank you." Mario nods and smiles, opening a door. An overwhelming smell of food fills her nose thrills. She looks around. "So this is your territory?" She asks. He laughs and nods, walking over to food on the fire. She sits down on the kitchen counter as Mario tilts up a yellow circle shaped flat thing. "What's that?" She asks while pointing at it.

"Omelette." He answers.

"Smells lovely, Mario" Killian walks in, drying his hair with a towel. "Good afternoon." He greets both of them.

"Such a good mood?" Mario teases.

"Well I had lovely company last night," Killian replies, "that is until she fell asleep."

"I'm sorry," Ariel mutters. He rubs his hand over her upper leg.

"I'm just messing with you, don't worry," he smiles and takes his hand away, leaving a warm spot on her leg.

"Breakfast, Hook?" Mario questions, while giving Ariel a plate with the omelette on.

"Yes please," Killian answers.

"I'll bring it, you can go sit on the table," Killian nods, taking Ariel with him to the table.

"How do I eat this?" She whispers.

"Cut it in pieces." Killian replies, reaching out to take her knife, "Place your fork on the edge please." He tells her and she does, he cuts around the omelette and she eats the piece on her fork.

"Thank you." She says, taking the knife, touching his hand with hers. He smiles briefly, looking away from her on the same moment. She follows his look, finding Mario walking their way with another plate.

"How do you like it, Ariel?" He asks while giving Killian's plate.

"I like it." She smiles wide.

"Thank you." Mario smiles back and leaves the kitchen. A silence falls on the table.

"How come your hair is wet?" Ariel questions when the silence makes her feel uncomfortable. "Did you fall in the water?" Killian laughs and shakes his head.

"Took a bath," he explains, cutting his omelette with one hand, an awkward thing to see, really. She leans over the table, placing her fork. He smiles thankfully and continues cutting his omelette.

"What's a bath?"

"Eh..." He stammers, once again being pointed at how uneasy it is to explain daily things. "It's a tub filled with water and soap. And when you take a bath it means you presumably smell bad and need to wash yourself."

"Do I smell bad?" She asks, taking her fork away as he's done cutting. He leans over the table, moving closer to her neck, where she can hear him sniff. She smirks as the ridiculous gesture.

"Nope," he answers, sitting back on his chair. He, too, as a little smile on his face, "still smell like the sea. But if you like you can take a bath." She nods, finishing her omelette.

"I'll show you when I'm done."

"How to take a bath?" She questions, leaning her arms on the table watching him as he eats. He snorts, almost spitting out the omelette he's chewing.

"Really Ariel, keep giving me these suggestive questions, I'm enjoying myself," he laughs, "but no, I'm just going to show you were the bathroom is and such."

* * *

He lets the water run, filling the tub with water and soap. She leans over the edge, to stick her hand in the water, only to pull her hand back almost immediately.

"Too hot?" He asks, she shakes her head as she wipes her hand to her dress.

"It eh..." She hesitates. "It stings."

"It's too hot thus." She shakes her head.

"No, it just stings my fingers." She replies. He takes her hand in his without warning. She looks up at him as his hand covers hers. A gentle warmth, a gentle touch. Ariel bites her lips in order to hold back a smile and looks up at him. He looks from her hand to her face, studying it.

"Of course with such cold hands," he speaks up with a curious voice, "are you cold, Ariel?" She shakes her head, Killian slides his hand over her arm to her neck. She feels cold over her entire body. He frowns. "How can you not?" Ariel smiles, enjoying the touch of his warm hand, and shrugs. "How cold is it down there?" He questions.

"I don't know, it kind of feels the same as here, except there is no wind." He takes his hand away, a gesture she wished he didn't.

"And do you feel like it's cold here?"

"No, it's okay here." She decides. "The sun is warm though." Killian nods.

"Like burning or just warm?"

"Around noon it kind of hurts. Why are you asking these questions?" She asks, looking over the edge of the tub, seeing the foam on the water.

"Just trying to find out, how about my hand, is it warm to you?"

"Yes, but a pleasant warm," Ariel admits smiling. He smiles a little too, clenching his hand to feel the warmth, it'd be considered lukewarm, but more cold than warm.

"I suppose you have cold blood running through your veins, just to keep you warm under the surface." He leans over the tub to add cold water.

"How about this?" He asks, running his hand through the water, the water is almost cold, it would seem unpleasant to bathe in that, but she runs her hand through the water and nods.

"Better." She replies. He gets up, taking her hand to yank her on her feet.

"All right and now you undress and wash yourself."

"Can you stay?" He laughs and shakes his head.

"I don't know how it works down there, but above the water surface is something called nudity." She frowns, he laughs, "When you're naked it's called being nude, and usually you're not nude around someone you don't like."

"I like you."

"All right. You're not nude around someone you don't love." She nods, looking from his eyes to his lips, his left corner lifts up, she smiles, remembering the dream, realising how much she would like a kiss. She looks back to his eyes, they're still locked onto her. He takes a deep breath turns and hands her a towel. "When you're done dry yourself with this and get dressed again." She nods and he leaves the room.

* * *

She had come back from the bathroom after taking a bath, sitting down on the railing of the ship, looking out on the sea. Every now and then, Killian looks over the ship from his place behind the wheel, resting his eyes on her. But she hadn't moved since the last time he looked at her. Killian turns around, patting Jack's shoulder to get his attention.

"Can you take over?" He questions, not waiting for the answer he lets go of the wheel, walking over to Ariel. He leans on the railing with his elbows, looking down on the water. The sun shines on the clear, blue waves and they sparkle. He looks at Ariel sideways. "Speak up mermaid." He smiles.

"I'm fine." She mutters. He leans closer, speaking words only for her to hear.

"Your tears say otherwise..." He tries, but she remains silent. "Are they magic?" He asks, speaking softly. Almost whispering. She would like to fall asleep to the sound of his voice. She blinks once, trying to clear her mind from the enchanting thoughts his presence brings along, and the tears fall on her hands, folded on her lap.

"They cure." She whispers, wiping them away, only to feel more are to come. "But I suppose they could be utterly dangerous if used for the wrong purposes." Ariel replies. He's looking at her, certain kind of sadness in his eyes. "I worry too much." She answers the question he asked before.

"Would you like to talk about it?" He reaches out for her, tucking her hair behind her ears. Seeing she still has tears in her eyes.

"No." Ariel shakes her head, taking a deep unsteady breath.

"Do you suppose they could..." He holds up his hook.

"I don't think so. I could try, but don't get your hopes up." she moves her hand over the cold iron of the hook. He shakes his head and pulls back, carefully so that he wouldn't hurt her.

"Maybe it's better if it doesn't change." He tells her, "It has become part of my life. I suppose it would be strange. I mean, how else can I be Hook?" She smiles and dries her tears once again, looking out on the sea. "You miss it, don't you?" He questions. She nods slowly, unsure if it would hurt his feelings to be honest. "Do you regret it? Exchanging your tail for legs, I mean."

"No." She smiles and that's not a lie. "I just miss my family and my friends, but I don't think they miss me." Killian snorts, causing her to look at him.

"Sorry." He mutters, holding back a smile. "I'm certain they miss you too, lass. I know I would."

"You'd miss me?" She asks, raising her left eyebrow. Her left mouth corner raises with it. A cute sight, really. Killian smiles and nods.

"I'd miss you." He answers, there's no shyness in his voice, no hesitation. Just warmth, and comfort. She leans forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. He lays his arm around her, unsure if she's going to hold on to his neck long enough to hug her back. Killian wants to smile at this show of affection, but when he looks up he sees Jack smirking down at them. Killian shakes his head slowly. "Shut up." He mouths.


End file.
